The Wharton MBA interview, and the Team Based Discussion
Wharton interviews by invitation with a Team Based Discussion: 35 minutes online with 5 to 6 other applicants working toward one outcome on a prompt sent in advance. Right after it comes a 10-minute one-on-one with a member of the admissions team about how it went. See how Soreno's MBA interview practice works with an AI interviewer that runs the one-on-one questions out loud and follows up.
Updated
- Group part
- 35 minutes
- Online, 5 to 6 others
- One-on-one
- 10 minutes
- With admissions
- Groups
- Random
- No set role for you
- Round 1 invites
- Oct 28, 2026
- As of October 2026
What Wharton says the TBD shows
Wharton says the discussion models the collaborative way its MBA works. It names these traits. It publishes no rubric.
Communication style
How you put an idea forward and how you respond to other people's.
Level of engagement
Whether you help the group move. Wharton asks you to think about methods you have used to move teams forward.
Leadership skills
Wharton says no specific role is expected of you, so leading can mean framing, summarizing or bringing in a quiet voice.
Decision-making process
The team works toward a tangible outcome, so how the group gets to a decision is part of what is seen.
How the Team Based Discussion runs
For the full-time MBA, as Wharton describes it as of October 2026.
Invitation
By email, on the round's date
Wharton reviews the completed application and invites some candidates. The email has a link to schedule and resources to prepare. No one is admitted without an interview.
Before the day
The prompt arrives
Admissions sends the details of the TBD well before your slot. Wharton suggests thinking about your own experiences and what would help a team in this setting.
35 minutes
The group discussion
Online, with 5 to 6 other applicants in a randomly assigned group. The discussion has a prompt and a purpose, and the team works together toward a tangible outcome.
10 minutes
One-on-one reflection
Right after, a one-on-one with a member of the admissions team to reflect on how the discussion went.
Joint programs
A second interview
Lauder, Carey JD/MBA and Health Care Management applicants also interview with that program, on its own focus.
From Wharton's interview process page.
Wharton does not publish past prompts or whether the one-on-one interviewer has read your application.
10 questions to practice for Wharton
Wharton does not publish its one-on-one questions. The page says it is a reflection on the TBD, so the first group matters most. These are Soreno's practice prompts.
Reflecting on the discussion
What you might be asked in the 10 minutes after.
Looking back on the Team Based Discussion you just finished, how do you think it went, and what would you do differently?
Give an honest read of the group, one moment you helped, and one specific thing you would change. Blaming others or claiming it was perfect both land badly.
- “What did the group decide, and did you agree?”
- “Who was the most useful person in the room, and why?”
- “When did you choose not to speak?”
What role do you usually play on a team? Give me an example.
Name the role and back it with a short example. Then say whether that is the role you played today.
Tell me about a time you were on a team that wasn't working well. What did you do?
Diagnose what was wrong before what you did, and show the result changed. Leave colleagues their dignity.
Teamwork
Stories about groups you didn't pick, like a TBD group.
Tell me about a time you had to make a team work with people you didn't choose.
Show how you found common ground fast, the way a randomly assigned TBD group has to.
Tell me about a time you persuaded someone who disagreed with you.
Show that you understood their view first and changed your case to meet it, not that you outlasted them.
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.
Keep the conflict about the work, own your part, and end on how you work together now.
Why Wharton and your goals
Why Wharton, and what do you want to get out of it?
Connect a goal to two or three parts of Wharton you would use, such as a major or a part of the program you have looked into, and say why they fit you in particular.
Why an MBA, and why now?
A specific goal, the gap between it and where you are, and why this year.
What are your short-term and long-term goals after the MBA?
A first role you can name and a longer aim that grows out of it.
Beyond the classroom, what will you contribute to the community here?
Point to something you already do and say how it would show up at school.
Common slips in a group discussion
Wharton's own advice: be yourself, adapt to the group and relax. These are the ways candidates work against that.
Arriving with a speech
A prepared answer read at the group ignores what others just said. Bring ideas you can change.
Talking the most
Helping the team reach its outcome usually shows more than the share of time you spoke.
Staying quiet to be safe
If you don't contribute, the admissions team has little to see. Plan two or three ways in.
Forgetting the outcome
The team has a tangible result to reach. Watch the time and help the group land it.
How to prepare for the TBD
Most of the work happens once the prompt arrives.
When the prompt arrives
Build your idea, then loosen it
Prepare a clear view with one or two reasons. Then list what would change your mind, so you can build on others in the room.
The week before
Pick your team stories
Wharton points to times you helped a team move and adapted to a new group. Have two ready for the one-on-one.
Free STAR method templateThe week before
Rehearse the one-on-one out loud
Practice a two-minute honest read of a discussion: what went well, your part in it, what you would change.
How Soreno's MBA practice worksOn the day
Test your setup
The TBD is virtual. Check your camera, microphone and connection, and join from a quiet room.
Wharton 2026-27 dates
As of October 2026, from Wharton's timeline page. Deadlines are 5:00 PM ET. Interview invitations go out by email on these dates.
Round 1Deadline September 8, 2026
Interview invitations October 28, 2026. Decisions December 17, 2026.
Wharton timeline and deadlinesRound 2Deadline January 5, 2027
Interview invitations February 19, 2027. Decisions March 31, 2027.
Wharton timeline and deadlinesRound 3Deadline March 31, 2027
Interview invitations April 16, 2027. Decisions May 11, 2027. Wharton says space is more limited in Round 3.
Wharton timeline and deadlinesPractice the 10-minute one-on-one out loud
Soreno is built for the one-on-one part: its AI interviewer asks MBA admissions questions out loud, presses on your teamwork stories and scores each answer out of 100, quoting your own words. Practice the group discussion with classmates. Soreno is not affiliated with Wharton or the University of Pennsylvania.
Questions people ask
What is the Wharton Team Based Discussion?
A 35-minute virtual group exercise with 5 to 6 other MBA applicants. The group gets a prompt and a purpose and works toward a tangible outcome. It is Wharton's interview format for invited candidates.
Is there a one-on-one interview at Wharton?
Yes. Right after the TBD there is a 10-minute one-on-one with a member of the admissions team, who asks you to reflect on the discussion.
Do I get the TBD prompt in advance?
Yes. Wharton says admissions sends the details well in advance of your interview time.
Is there a best role to play in the TBD?
Wharton says no specific role is expected of you. It asks you to be yourself and bring the strengths you have.
Is the Wharton interview blind?
Wharton does not say whether the admissions team member has read your application. Prepare to talk about it either way.
Can I be admitted to Wharton without an interview?
No. Wharton says interviews are by invitation only and no candidate is admitted without one.
How many people apply to Wharton?
Wharton's FAQ says it usually receives 6,000 to 7,000 applications and admits about 1,000 for a class of about 864.
Do joint degree applicants interview twice?
Yes. Lauder, Carey JD/MBA and Health Care Management applicants have an interview with that program as well as the MBA interview.